Detachable supporting rail for receptacles, etc.



May 10, 1960 A. H. WUNDER DETACHABLE SUPPORTING RAIL FOR RECEPTACLES, ETC.

Filed July 29, 1957 INVENTOR. Aueusr H.WUNDER BY 19 TTORNE Y United States Patent DETACHABLE SUPPORTING RAIL FOR RECEPTACLES, ETC.

August H. Wunder, Miami, Fla. Application July 29, 1957, Serial No. 674,848

3 Claims. (Cl. 248-201) This invention relates to a snap-on rail or similar support whereby the rail may be quickly and easily connected to socket members in a manner to prevent accidental displacement of the rail and also to prevent the axial rotation thereof.

The invention has primarily been designed for use in supporting an article, such as an infants crib of the type carried within aircraft and whereby the crib may be 'fast upon a side wall of the aircraft or upon any suitable fixed structure.

The invention further contemplates novel brackets having keyhole slots formed in face plates and with the keyholes being normally closed by flush plates that are biased to flush engagement to thereby present brackets having an interrupted smooth outer face to avoid slots or the like that normally intrigue children or adults to stufi. paper or other objects therein. A further object of the invention resides in a novel latch device carried by the rail and headed studs carried by the rail that engage within the keyhole slots to force the flush plates inwardly against the tension of springs whereby the headed studs may be shifted downwardly and longitudinally of the brackets to retain the rail against accidental upward movement while the latch device has latch engagement within one keyhole slot to prevent accidental longitudinal shifting of the rail.

a In the drawings:

#Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the invention applied to a conventional baby crib of the aircraft type,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a fragmentary portion of one rail and the associated wall brackets for cooperation therewith,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of one rail and an associated latch device,

Figure 4 is an enlarged face view of one bracket,

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken on line 6 -6 of Figure 4,

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but illustrating the rail in full engagement with the bracket and with a latch device also engaged with the bracket and Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 5 but illustrating the rail in fully engaged position with respect to the bracket.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a conventional baby crib commonly employed in aircraft, comprising an upper frame having side rails 6 and curved end sections 7. The crib is provided with a lower frame 8 that is connected with the upper frame by webbing strips 9. Each end of the crib 5 is provided with rigid wall braces 10 whereby to hold the crib against accidental vertical swinging movement when in use. Carried adjacent the ends of one straight portion 6 and laterally extending, are headed studs 11 and 12. Rotatably disposed adjacent the stud 12 is a rotatable latch including a sleeve 13 and a latch tongue 14. The latch is biased outwardly by a coil spring 15, held upon the rail 6 at one end and with its opposite end bearing against the tongue 14. The latch is limited in its rotative movement by a slot and pin connection 16 and whereby the latch is normally biased to a position for automatic snapping engagement within a. bracket device to be described. Fixedly disposed upon the opposite and forward rail 6 are a pair of upstanding headed studs 17, corresponding to the studs 11 and 12 and being identically spaced to the studs 11 and 12. The studs 17 are obviously at a right angle to the studs 11 and 12, for a purpose to be presently described.

Disposed upon a wall area 18, are a pair of spaced apart brackets 19 having face plates 20 that have flush engagement within the wall. The plates overlie recesses 21 formed in the Wall. Each of the brackets is identical in construction and each face plate is stamped to provide a keyhole opening and with the opening consisting of an enlarged circular opening 22, a communicating vertical leg 23 and a horizontal communicating leg 24. The openings 22 are of a size to permit the free insertion of the heads of the studs 11, 12 and 17 while the legs 23 and 24 correspond to the reduced shank of the studs. The spacing of the openings 22 is identical to the spacing of the studs. The plates: 20 are rigidly connected to a wall area 18 by screws or like fastening devices 25. Engageable within the keyhole openings to be flush with the face of the plates 20, are closure plates 26, shaped in accordance with the keyhole openings and adapted to have a snug engagement therein so as to fully close the keyhole openings when the brackets are not in use. Each of the plates 26 is riveted or otherwise connected to a flat leaf spring 27 and with the spring 27 being fixedly connected at its lower end to the rear side of the plates 20 by rivets 28. The springs 27 have a Width whereby to fully overlie the keyhole openings formed by the openings 22 and the legs 23 and 24 and whereby to limit the forward movement of the plates 26 to be flush with the forward faces of the plates 20. It will therefore be apparent, that the plates 26 may be forced rearwardly against the tension of the spring 27 to permit of the entry of the headed studs 11, 12 or 17. The brackets 19 when not in use therefore present an ornamental appearance.

While the braces 10 effectively prevent downward swinging movement of the crib 5, it also happens at times when an aircraft encounters an air pocket, that there is a sudden dropping of the plane, which action tends to swing the crib upwardly and such action would place a considerable strain upon the headed studs 12 and, to avoid the strain upon the studs and the bracket 19, there have been provided stops 29 that are rigidly connected at spaced apart points upon the inner rail 6 of the crib. The stops 29 carry pads 30 that bear against the wall surface adjacent the brackets 19 and it will be apparent.

essence E that any tendency toward an upward swinging movement of the crib will be stopped and braced by the stops 29 thus relieving to a major extent any tendency toward pulling the studs away from the brackets 19.

Operation In the use of the device, assuming that the brackets 19 are employed to support the crib 5, the operator engages the studs 11 and 12 into the respective openings 22 of the plates 20, forcing the plates 26 rearwardly against the tension of the springs 27. With the studs fully engaged, they may then be forced downwardly through the leg opening 23 and then longitudinally through the leg opening 24 and with the plates 26 exerting a constant frictional engagement with the heads of the studs. When the rail 6 and the crib have been shifted to the end of the leg opening 24, the latch 14 will snap within the leg opening 23 and will thus securely hold the rail and the associated crib from shifting in a longitudinal manner to prevent disengagement from the brackets. When the crib is to be removed, the latch is swung forwardly, releasing the tongue 14 from the leg opening 23, permitting the operator to bodily shift the crib and the rail 6 in an opposite direction to be elevated upwardly through the leg opening 23 to the opening 22, at which time the crib may be bodily removed. When the studs are fully removed from the openings 22, the springs 27 will force the plates 26 forwardly to flush arrangement with the plates 20. With the crib in fully engaged and supported position, the brackets adequately support the crib in a horizontal manner and the construction is such that it is capable of supporting maximum weights far in excess of the weight of an infant. When the crib is to be supported for non-use, the crib is turned edgewise so that a forward rail 6 is disposed upwardly in a position where its studs 17 may be engaged into the keyhole slots and shifted downwardly and longitudinally to the ends of the leg openings 24. The forward rail 6 is not provided with any latch means, such as the latch 14, since this becomes unnecessary when the crib is not occupied by an infant. The rail 6, while illustrated as being a part of a crib, it has been found that the device has many uses, such as handrails, towel racks and various other supports or receptacles that may be equipped with the properly spaced studs 11, 12 and 17. The device therefore readily accommodates itself to many uses other than those specified and provides primarily a supporting structure embodying the rail, the studs, the latch device and the wall brackets. The supported device when completely removed leaves no undesirable wall elements that could be proven injurious to clothing and no objectionable wall openings.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that an extremely simple and most desirable form of connecting means has been provided as a detachable support for numerous receptacles or rails. The device is simple in construction, is exceptionally strong, .durable, cheap to manufacture and most effective for the purposes indicated.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fall within the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A receptacle support of the character described, the combination of a pair of spaced apart wall brackets that are in flush relation to the wall and a receptacle in the form of a crib that has an open upper side that is defined by a generally rectangular rigid frame, each of the brackets being identical and provided with face plates having L-shaped slots formed therein and with the slots being disposed in the same direction, fixed headed studs carried by one rail of the frame and with the studs being in spaced relation and corresponding to the spacing of the slots, flush plates for normally closing the slots and with the flush plates being yieldable inwardly to uncover the slots, the said studs adapted to simultaneously engagewithin the slots and movable in a horizontal plane to one end of the slots and a latch device carried upon the said rail adjacent to one of said studs and that has a latched engagement in the slot of the adjacent face plate when the adjacent stud has moved to its maximum engagement in the slot, the latch being yieldable to disengage the slot when the receptacle and its studs are to be shifted to positions of disengagement for removing the receptacle.

2. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the said studs project outwardly from the rail in a horizontal plane whereby to support the receptacle in an upright supporting position.

3. The structure according to claim 1, wherein an opposite rail of the rectangular frame is provided with a pair of spaced apart headed studs that correspond in spacing to the first named studs, the second named studs projecting in a vertical plane and whereby the receptacle may be supported upon the wall brackets with its open side facing toward the wall, braces carried at both ends of the receptacle and that engage the wall when the receptacle is carried by the brackets in a carrying position whereby to prevent undue downward twisting between the studs and the brackets and other brace devices carried upon the first named rail that brace the receptacle against a sudden upward movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 686,516 Gerding Nov. 12, 1901 830,638 Boller Sept. '11, 1906 849,618 Hurlburt Apr. 9, 1907 899,345 Snyder Sept. 22, 1908 1,242,441 Hills Oct. 9, 1917 1,518,035 Wilhelm Dec. 2, 1924 1,596,603 Enoch Aug. 17, 1926 1,743,831 Schurr Ian. 14, 1930 1,943,648 Wessman Jan. 16, 1934 2,224,999 Mover Dec. 17, 1940 2,277,954 Clouse Mar. 31, 1942 2,717,717 Busch Sept. 13, 1955 2,724,163 Davis Nov. 22, 1955 2,831,598 Slausky et al. Apr. 22, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 440,660 Great Britain Jan. 3,, 1936 746,391

Great Britain Mar. 1.4, 1956 

